It looks like next-generation iPhone parts have started leaking. This means that the real product is not far away.

Apple Bitch is pointing to TVC-Mall, a Chinese parts vendor, who has listed iPhone 5 home buttons for sale on its website.

Though, the buttons look fairly similar to those found on current iOS devices, the vendor claims that they are in fact noticeably different…

From TVC-Mall’s description:

“Are you interested in the iPhone 5 which will come out soon? Different from iPhone 4S 4, the iPhone 5 home button is round in the centre and square outside as the pictures show. The two parts are indivisible.”

China is known for its bounty of counterfeit Apple products. One should not be surprised if these buttons belonged to a black market iPhone 5 handset, rather than an actual Apple-made device.

Also, with the next-generation iPhone launch likely 6 months away, it is doubtful that a third-party parts vendor already has finalized components from a finished product. Possibly, these home buttons are more likely from a prototype.

Finally, as MacRumors has pointed out that these could very well be old iPhone home buttons. If the round piece in the middle is the only part that protrudes upward, then the square outer-bezel would be invisible to the end user — like it is now.

Regardless, this still does not speak well for the rumors of a completely redesigned handset.